10 Little Known but Essential Facts You Should Know Before a Job Hunt

Has your job search ever brought you into a situation when you told yourself: “Damn, I wish somebody told me this before”? Probably. There are so many little-known facts about job search we have to find out about the hard way.

I remember my first job interviews. I had no clue that I should send a thank you note afterwards. Or that I should follow up with an email after a few days, even when I’m not interested in the job.

But how the heck was I supposed to know that? I mean, I know these things now but I had no clue back then. I wonder how many job opportunities did it cost me.

What are the little-known things that everybody should definitely know about job search then? We’ve picked the best answers from Quora.

1. Some recruiters are a bit like some of your exes

“You’ve applied and had great interviews. Then you never hear again from the company. Recruiters and companies often just stop communicating with you. Not a peep.” – Tim Floto

2. The job you’ve applied for might not even exist

“The position existence is questionable in many cases. It works like this: there’s a potential project. We have long-running good relationship with the client, everyone expects 90% chance of winning the project. So we start looking for people. Once finding perfect candidates we just wait for a GO from client. At least a verbal one, ideally signed contract. You know the rest of the story. Many times budgets are cut, project start postponed etc. The position did not exist. Believe me, it is as frustrating for you as it is for the interviewer.” – Peter Lovisek

3. Job search can get pretty weird sometimes

“Expect weird surprises. I applied for a job at one company. I went through a couple of rounds of interviews then dead silence. A month later out, of the blue, the owner called. “Are you that Tim guy?” “Yes”. “When can you start?” – Tim Floto

4. Fortune favours the bold

“The only rule I follow is that I don't follow any rule. I call people out. If I see someone on LinkedIn who can help me, I ping them. I have mastered the art of rejection but I never forget to ask for the feedback. I don’t let the recruiters go silent on me. I keep asking them question related to job even days after interviews. So, while searching for a job, don’t be submissive, be authentic and be cool. You will definitely get somewhere.” – Sahil Jakhar

5. You should ALWAYS follow up

“Always follow up with a thank you email, even if you really are not interested in the job. But if you are let them know. Tell them what you really like about the company and learned during the interview. Employers want to hire people who want to work for THEM.” – Peter Onion

6. We underestimate the power of LinkedIn

“What no one will tell about job searching is that you could have resorted to other techniques for job search other than traditional searches. Job seekers always try to go with Indeed & Naukri but forget to come on LinkedIn, which is a beast in job search. I had got many offers via LinkedIn.” – Tejas Rane

7. It’s going to take longer than you think

“It is (or should be) a full-time job, it takes a lot of work, and it can take a long time. If you are just dabbling on the internet, submitting the occasional resume and waiting to hear back from one potential employer before contacting the next one - you’re doing it wrong. And if you’re expecting to land a $100,000 position in just a few weeks of looking then your expectations are too high.” – Andrew Karam

8. You can burn out while looking for a job

“Finding a job is a full-time job, but… Nobody in the world will ever tell you it’s OK to take a day off in a job search, but I will. It’s easy to burn out in a job search. Don’t let this happen to you. If it’s a full-time job, then remember that it’s OK to take a day off.” – Ed Han

9. Rejecting offers is even worse than being rejected

“You will reject offers! Yes. This happened and it was worse than being rejected. I’ve simultaneously got in the final rounds for 3 jobs. One offer was at a giant company, second was in the wrong location and the third was THE JOB. I negotiated each of these positions, and imagine having to say NO after the final offer. I felt bad, I was not prepared to actually be the one to say NO. But, it’s your decision, explain it nicely and thank them for their time.” – Daniela Fantaziu

10. And sometimes, you’re just unlucky

“Sometimes, you just don’t get the job no matter how many books you read on interviewing or websites or prep. Sometimes you just aren’t who they are looking for and it isn’t your fault.” – Scott McNulty

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